Reclining chair



A. LORENZ RECLINING CHAIR July 31, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1958 Fr ilka/i .z n RN m MP 0 w w m 4 M O T N A Y B a a July 31, 1962 A. LORENZ 3,047,335

RECLINING CHAIR Filed Sept. 22, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y FIG. 3. ,0

INVENTOR. ANTON 4 ORE/V2 i /Z4 BY fi A. LORENZ RECLINING CHAIR July 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 22, 1958 INVENTOR.

LORENZ ANTON BY q Ar-roR (7S t than 3,047,335 Patented July 31, 1962 3,047,335 RECLHLJENG HAIR Anton Lorenz, @cean Ridge, Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed Sept. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 762,432 10 Ciaims. (Cl. 29'785) The present invention relates to reclining chairs of the type including a movable seat, back-rest and leg-rest, and in particular to an improved reclining chair of the double movement type.

The well-known reclining chair comprises a support, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively, and a leg-rest mounted below the seat for elevating movement into various leg-supporting positions forwardly of the seat. Such reclining chair includes appropriate mounting and controlling linkages which coordinate the seat and leg-rest to the movement of the back-rest such that the required inclination of the seat and elevation of the leg-rest is achieved as a function of or in response to the inclining movement of the back-rest. In my copending application Serial No. 760,208, filed September 10 1958, and entitled Reclining Chair, there is disclosed an improved reclining chair wherein there are two phases of chair movement. During the first phase or portion of the chair movement, the bodysupporting unit is moved into an intermediate tilted or semi-reclined position, with substantially no change in the angular relationship between the seat and back-rest, and simultaneously the leg-rest is moved into an elevated leg-supporting position. During the second phase or portion of the reclining movement the body-supporting unit is moved to a fully reclined position, with a substantial increase in the angle between the seat and back-rest, and the leg-rest remains substantially in the elevated leg-supporting position. In this type of chair, which I refer to as a double-movement type of chair, the intermediate tilted or semi-reclined position is suitable to comfortably accommodate the chair occupant in an attitude appropriate for viewing television, reading, sewing and the like, and the fully reclined position is suitable for accommodating the chair occupant in an attitude appropriate for complete or full relaxation.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reclining chair of th double-movement type. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improved mounting and control arrangement for achieving the coordinated movement of a seat of a double movement reclining chair in response to the reclining movement of its back-rest such that the requisite positions for the seat and back-rest are established during the first and second phases of reclining movement.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting and control arrangement for a double movement reclining chair which is suitable during the first phase or portion of the reclining movement to elevate the leg-rest of the chair, with the seat and back-rest remaining substantially in the same angular relationship, and during the second phase or portion of the reclining movement to open or increase the angle between the seat and back-rest, with the leg-rest remaining elevated.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, my improved reclining chair comprises a support, a bodysupporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on the support for movement through a first phase from a sitting position to an intermediate resting position and for further movement through a second phase from the intermediate resting position into various reclining positions and seat control means for inclining the seat in response to movement of the back-rest of the body-supporting unit. The seat control means includes a carrier movably mounted on the support with means engageable with the carrier in the sitting position of the body-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationary position for the carrier. Interengaging guide means on the carrier and the seat are arranged to impart a first inclination to the seat during the first phase of chair movement, with the inter-engaging guide means providing a lost motion connection between the seat and carrier during the second phase of chair movement during which the carrier imparts a second inclination to the seat. In some instances useful applications may be found for the seat control means alone which permits dilferent angular relationships to be established between the seat and back-rest during different phases of the chair movement. However, for most practical applications, a leg-rest is mounted beneath the seat by an appropriate leg-rest control linkage and is operatively connected to the body-supporting unit such that the leg-rest is moved into an elevated leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat in response to the movement of the body-supporting unit through the first phase of chair movement into the resting position.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of several illustrative embodiments demonstrating features of the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, of a reclining chair of the double-movement type demonstrating features of the present invention, shown in the upright or sitting position;

FIG. 2 is an elevational View, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the reclining chair in the intermediate tilted or semi-reclined resting position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the chair in the extreme or fully reclined position;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, of a further embodiment of the reclining chair of the double movement type demonstrating further features of the present invention, shown in the upright or sitting position;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the reclining chair in the intermediate tilted or semi-reclined position; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the chair in the extreme or fully reclined position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1-3 inclusive a first embodiment of the reclining chair of the double movement type demonstrating features of the present invention, which has been generally designated by the reference numeral 10, and includes a support 12 having opposite side walls 14, 16 interconnected by appropriate cross braces or bars 18, 2.0, 22; and supported on depending legs 24.

Movably mounted on the support 12 are the component parts of the chair, namely the back-rest 26 which is mounted for reclining movement, the seat 28 which is mounted for inclining movement, and the leg-rest 30 which is mounted for elevating movement. Specifically, the back-rest 2:6 is mounted on the support 12 at a back-rest pivot 32 contiguous to the lower end of the back-rest 26; the seat is mounted at a seat pivot 34 on the back-rest 26 by rearwardly directed rigid hanger 36; and the leg-rest 3% is mounted beneath the forward end of the seat at a leg-rest pivot 35, which is illustrated as being a leaf-type 3 hinge interconnected between the upper end of the legrest and the forward end of the seat 28.

A detailed description will now follow of my improved mounting and controlling arrangement for mounting the back-rest 26, the seat 28, and the leg-rest 30 for movement through a first phase of chair movement from the sitting position (see FIG. 1) into an intermediate resting position (see FIG. 2) with substantially no relative displacement between the back-rest and seat and with movement of the leg-rest to an elevated leg-supporting position and for further movement through a second phase of the chair movement from the resting position into a reclining position (see FIG. 3) with a substantial increase in the angle between the seat and back-rest and with the leg-rest remaining in the elevated leg-supporting position. The mounting and controlling arrangement comprises a seat control means which includes a carrier movably mounted on the support, the carrier 40 being illustrated herein as a link disposed in a forwardly inclined starting position. The carrier link 48 is mounted at a carrier pivot 42 on the support 12 such that the carrier link 48 is movable from the starting position through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 2 and 3. Engaging the carrier link 40 in the sitting position of the body-supporting unit is a stop which conveniently takes the form of an inclined supporting surface 18a at the upper end of the cross-brace 18. The stop 18a precludes the carrier link 40 from forward and downward movement out of the starting position, but permits the required movement of the carrier link 49 through the rearwardly and upwardly directed arc. As will appear hereinafter, the carrier link 48 remains substantially stationary during the first phase of the reclining of the chair movement (see FIGS. 1 and 2), but serves as the seat control means during the second phase of the reclining movement (see FIG. 3).

Connected between the seat 28 and the carrier link 40 is an interengaging guide means which includes a guide member 44 and a follower member 46 engaged by the guide member 44 arranged to impart a prescribed inclination to the seat 23 during the first phase of the chair movement. In this illustrative embodiment, the guide member of the interengaging guide means is in the form of a depending guide plate 44 fixed to the under-surface of the seat 28 and formed with an upwardly and rearwardly directed guiding surface 44a terminating at its upper end in a curved seating portion 44b and at its lower end in a further curved seating portion 440. The follower member 46 of the interengaging guide means is in the form of a roller which is pivotally mounted on the carrier link 40 at the pivot 48 and is of a radius or diameter appropriate to substantially conform to the curvature of the curved seating portions 44b and 440 of the guide member 44. In the upright or sitting position of the chair, the guide member 44 is disposed relative to the follower roller 46 such that roller is in contact with the upper conforming seating portion 44b. Upon application of a rearwardly directed thrust to the seat 28 in response to reclining movement of the back-rest 26 about the backrest pivot 32 an inclination is imparted to the seat as deter mined by the contour of the guiding surface 44a of the guide member 44, it being recalled that the carrier link 40 and the follower member 46 remain substantially stationary with the follower roller 46 turning about its pivot 48 to provide a rolling contact with the guide member 44. By appropriate design of the guiding surface 44a, the inclination imparted to the seat 28 may be such as to maintain substantially the same angular relationship between the seat 28 and the back-rest 26 as the chair moves through the first phase of its movement into the intermediate tilted or resting position illustrated in FIG. 2. It will be appreciated that the interengaging guide means 44, 46 serves as a lost motion interconnection between the seat 28 and the carrier link 48 during the first phase of the chair movement such that the carrier link 48 remains substantially stationary in its starting position. However, when the guide member 44 moves to the limit of its travel relative to the follower member 46 wherein the follower member or roller 46 bears against the curved seating portion 440 at the lower end of the guide member 44, a pivotal interconnection is provided between the carrier link 40 and the seat 28. With the interengaging guide means in the limited position illustrated in FIG. 2, the arrangement is equivalent to having a pivotal connection between the carrier link 40 and the seat 28. Accordingly, in response to further rearward thrust imparted to the seat 28 incident to further reclining movement of the back-rest 26, the carrier link 40 moves out of the substantially stationary starting position which it maintained during the first phase of chair movement and pivots through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are about its pivotal mount 42 to impart a different inclination to the seat during the second phase of the chair movement. The second phase of the chair movement is concluded by the provision of an appropriate stop which engages the carrier link 40 after the carrier link has traveled through the requisite are to establish the desired angular relationship between the seat and back-rest for the fully inclined position illustrated in FIG. 3. Conveniently, the stop is provided by the forward surface 204: of the cross-brace 20 which is disposed relative to the carrier link '40 to serve as the stop for establishing the fully reclined position for the chair.

Operatively connected to the seat control arrangement and to the leg-rest 30 is a leg-rest control linkage which is effective to elevate the leg-rest 30 in response to movement of the body-supporting unit through the first phase of chair movement. In this form of the invention, the leg-rest control linkage includes a control member 50 which is in the form of a double arm lever pivotally mounted on the carrier link 40 at the pivot 48 coaxially with the follower roller 46. The controlling member 50 includes a first arm 50a which extends generally upwardly from the pivot 48 and is connected to the seat 28 by a first connecting link 52 which has a pivotal connection 54 at its forward end to the upper end of the arm 50a and a pivotal connection '56 at its rearward end to the seat 28. The controlling member 50 further includes a downwardly extending arm 50]) which is operatively connected to the leg-rest 30 by a second connecting link 58 which has a pivotal connection 60 at its rearward end to the lower end of the arm 58b and a pivotal connection 62 at its forward end to the leg-rest at a point spaced from the suspending pivot 38. In response to rearward movement of the seat 28 under control of the back-rest 26, a turning force is applied to the controlling member 50 which swings the arm 50b in the clockwise direction about the pivot 48 and imparts a forward thrust to the connecting link 58 which elevates the leg-rest 30 to the legsupporting position illustrated in FIG. 2. During the second phase of chair movement, the leg-rest 30 remains in the elevated leg-supporting position, with the carrier link 48 turning about the pivotal mount 42 and carrying the leg-rest control linkage rearwardly and upwardly while the leg-rest remains in substantially the same relative position with respect to the seat 28.

A more thorough understanding of the construction and function of my improved reclining chair of the double movement type will be had by reference to the following description of an illustrative sequence of operations, making progressive reference to FIGS. 1-3 inclusrve:

When the chair occupant is seated and leans against the back-rest 26, the back-rest begins to turn about the back-rest pivot 32 andthe seat translates rearwardly which causes the guide member 44 to be displaced relative to the follower member 46 to achieve the seat control function and also causes the leg-rest control member 50 to turn about the pivot 48 to achieve the leg-rest control function. The inclination imparted to the seat 28 by the interengaging guide means 44, 46 is established such that substantially no angular change occurs between the backrest 26 and seat 28 during the first phase of the chair movement. The turning movement imparted to the legrest control member 50 is such that the leg-rest moves to the elevated leg-supporting position illustrated in FIG. 2, with the leg-rest being elevated through the comparatively large swinging movement required by appropriate proportioning of the links of the leg-rest control linkage. When the follower member 46 contacts the curved or seating portion 44c of the guide member 44, the first phase of the chair movement is ended with the relationship of the back-rest, seat and leg-rest appropriate to establish the intermediate tilted or resting position illustrated in H6. 2 appropriate for television viewing, reading, sewing or other similar activities.

When the chair occupant desires to assume a more comfortable relaxation position, such as the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 3, the occupant leans further against the back-rest. Since the interengaging guide means 44, 46 is effectively blocked, a turning force is applied to the carrier link 41) which tends to turn the carrier link 40 through an upwardly and rearwardly directed are about the pivotal mount 42. This will impart an inclination to the seat as determined by the length and initial starting position of the carrier 41) which serves as the seat control means. The carrier link is so arranged as to enable a substantial increase to occur in the angle between the back-rest 26 and the seat 28 such that the proper relationship of seat and the back-rest is established for the fully reclined position when the chair reaches the end of its movement as determined by the location of the stop surface 24 provided by the cross-brace 21). During such second phase of the reclining movement the leg-rest control linkage remains in its extended position and is carried along with the carrier link 41 which achieves the seat control function.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4-6 inclusive, there is shown a further reclining chair of the double movement type demonstrating features of the present invention, which has been generally designated by the reference numeral 111? and includes a support 112 having opposite side walls 114, 116 interconnected by appropriate cross braces or bars 118, 120, 122 and supported on depending legs 124.

Movably mounted on the support are the three component parts of the chair, namely the back-rest 126 which is mounted for reclining movement, the seat 128 which is mounted for inclining movement and the leg rest 130 which is mounted for elevating movement. Specifically, the back-rest 126 is mounted on the support 112 at a back-rest pivot 132 contiguous to the lower end of the back-rest 126; the seat is mounted at a seat pivot 134 on the back-rest by means of rearwardly directed rigid hangers 136; and the leg-rest 130 is mounted beneath the forward end of the seat at a leg-rest pivot 138 which is illustrated as a movable suspending pivot confined for fore and aft translation within a guide bracket 139 fixed to and depending from the seat 128.

A detailed description will now follow of my improved mounting and controlling arrangement for mounting the back rest 126, the seat 128, and the leg-rest 130 for a first phase of chair movement from the sitting position (see FIG. 4) into an intermediate resting position (see FIG. with substantially no relative displacement between the back-rest and seat and with the displacement of the leg-rest to an elevated leg-supporting position and for a second phase of the chair movement from the resting position into a reclining position (see FIG. 6) with a substantial increase in the angle between the seat and back-rest and with the maintenance of the leg-rest in the elevated leg-supporting position. The mounting and controlling arrangement comprises a seat control means which includes a carrier link 1411 which is mounted at a carrier pivot 142 on the support 112 such that the carrier link 140 is movable from a starting position 6 through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 5 and 6. The carrier link 1411 normally bears against an inclined supporting surface 118a at the upper end of the cross-brace 118. The brace 118 precludes movement of the carrier link forwardly and downwardly out of the starting position but permits the required movement of the carrier link through the rearwardly and upwardly directed arc for the seat control function. The carrier link 140 remains substantially stationary during the first phase of the reclining of the chair movement (see FIGS. 4 and 5) and serves as the seat control means during the second phase of the reclining movement (see FIG. 6).

Connected between the seat 128 and the carrier link 140 is an interengaging guide means which includes guide member 144 and a follower member 146 engaged by the guide member 144 and imparts an inclination to the seat 28 during the first phase of the chair movement. In this illustrative embodiment the guide member 144 of the interengaging guide means is in the form of a guide plate fixed to the upper end of the carrier link 140 and formed with an upwardly and rearwardly directed guiding surface 144a terminating in a curved seating portion 14411 at its upper end and a curved seating portion 1440 at its lower end. The follower member 146 of the interengaging guide means is in the form of a roller which is pivotally mounted on the seat 128 at the pivot 148. In the upright or sitting position of the chair, the guide member 144 is disposed relative to the follower roller 146 such that roller is in contact with the conforming curved seating portion 1440. In response to a rearwardly directed thrust being imparted to the seat 128 incident to reclining movement of the back-rest 126, an inclination is imparted to the seat as determined by the slope of the guiding surface 144a of the guide member 144. By appropriately selecting the slope of the guiding surface 14411, the inclination imparted to the seat 128 may be such as to maintain substantially the same angular relationship between the seat 128 and the back-rest 126 as the chair moves through the first phase of its movement into the intermediate tilted or resting position illustrated in FIG. 5. The interengaging guide link 144, 146 serves as a lost motion interconnection between the seat 128 and the carrier link 141) during the first phase of the chair movement such that the carrier link 1140 re mains substantially stationary and in its starting position. When the follower roller 146 moves to the limit of its travel relative to the guide member 144 wherein the roller 146 bears against the curved seating portion 144!) at the upper end of the guide member 144, a pivotal interconnection is provided between the carrier link 140 and the seat 128. Accordingly, in response to further rearward thrust imparted to the seat 128, incident to further reclining movement of the back-rest 126, the carrier link 1411 moves out of its substantially stationary starting position through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are about its pivotal mount 142 to impart the requisite inclination to the seat during the second phase of the chair movement. The second phase of the chair movement is concluded by the brace 121 having its 'forward surface 126a serving as a stop which engages the carrier link 1411 after the carrier link has traveled through the requisite arc to establish the desired angular relationship between the seat and back-rest for the fully inclined position illustrated in FIG. 6.

Operatively connected to the seat control arrangement and to the leg-rest is a leg-rest control linkage which is effective to elevate the leg-rest 136 into the requisite legsupporting position in response to movement of the bodysupporting unit through the first phase of chair movement. In this form of the invention the leg-rest control linkage includes a control member 150 which is in the form of a double arm lever pivotally mounted on the carrier link 1411 at a pivot 151 below the guide member 144. The control member 150 includes a first arm 150a a which extends generally upwardly from the pivot 151 and is connected to the back-rest 126 by a first connecting link 152 which has a pivotal connection 154 at its forward end to the upper end of the arm 150a and a pivotal connection 156 at its rearward end to the backrest intermediate the back-rest pivot 132 and the seat pivot 134. The control member 1511 further includes a generally downwardly extending arm 15% which is operatively connected to the leg-rest 130 by a second connecting link 158 which has a pivotal connection 160 at its rearward end to the lower end of the arm 1511b and a pivotal connection 162 at its forward end to the legrest 136. The leg-rest control linkage is completed by a further pair of links 164, 166 which have their adjacent ends connected by a pivot 168. The link 164 serves as a suspending arm for the leg-rest 138 and carries at its upper end the movable suspending pivot for the leg-rest which is confined within the guide bracket 139. The link 164 crosses over the connecting link 158 and has a coordinating pivotal connection 170 thereto, while the link 164 has a pivotal connection 172 at its forward end to the leg-rest 130 at a point spaced from and below the pivotal connection 162. Appropriate means are operatively connected to the leg-rest control linkage for displacing the movable suspending pivot 138 forwardly from its retracted posit-ion (see FIG. 4) in response to the chair movement such that the leg-rest is extended relative to the seat (see FIGS. and 6). In this embodiment, the movable suspending pivot 138 is urged forwardly in response to the reclining movement by an actuating link 174 which has its forward end pivotally connected to the link 164 coaxially of the pivot 138 and has its rearward end pivotally connected to the back-rest 126 at a pivot 176 intermediate the pivots 132, 156. The pivot 176 is located contiguous to the back-rest pivot 132 such that there is comparatively little rearward displacement of the actuating link 174 in response to reclining movement as compared to the seat 128 which is mounted at the backrest pivot 134,. Accordingly as the chair moves from the upright sitting position of FIG. 4 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 6, the movable pivot 138 and the legrest 130 will be displaced forwardly relative to the seat 128.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that in response to rearward movement of the seat 128 under control of the back-rest 126 a turning force is applied to the leg rest control member 151) which swings the arm 15012 in the clockwise direction about the pivot 151 which imparts a forward thrust to the links 158, 16-4, 166 to elevate the leg-rest 130 to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. Although the leg-rest 130 remains in the elevated legsupporting position as the carrier link 140 turns about the pivot 142 and carries the leg-rest control linkage rearwardly and upwardly during the second phase of chair movement, the leg-rest 130 continues to be extended relative to the seat due to the relative displacement of the movable pivot 138.

A more thorough understanding of the construction and function of this embodiment of a reclining chair of the double-movement type will be had by reference to the following description of an illustrative sequence of operations, making progressive reference to FIGS. 4-6 inclusive:

When the chair occupant is seated and leans against the back-rest 126, the back-rest begins to turn about the back-rest pivot 132 and the seat translates rearwardly which causes the follower member 146 to be displaced rearwardly relative to the guide member 144 to achieve the seat control function. This also causes the leg-rest control member 1511 to turn about the pivot 148 to achieve the leg-rest control function and the movable suspending pivot 138 to advance to achieve the extension of the leg-rest. The inclination imparted to the seat 128 by the interengaging guide means 144, 146 is established such that substantially no angular change occurs between the back-rest and seat during the first phase of the chair movement. When the roller 146 contacts the curved or seating portion 44b of the guide member 14-4 the end of the first phase of the chair movement is reached with the relationship of the back-rest, seat and leg-rest appropriate to establish the intermediate tilted or resting position illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the chair occupant desires to assume a more comfortable relaxation position, such as the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 6, the occupant leans further against the back-rest. Since the interengaging guide means 144, 146 is effectively blocked, a turning force is applied to the carrier link 140 which tends to turn the carrier link 1411 through an upward and rearwardly directed are about the pivotal mount 142 which will impart an inclination to the seat as determined by the length and initial starting position of the carrier link 140. The carrier link 140 is so arranged as to enable a substantial increase to occur in the angle between the seat and back-rest such that thevproper relationship of the seat and the back-rest is established for the fully reclined position. During the second phase of chair movement, the leg-rest control linkage remains in its extended position and is carried along with the carrier link, but the suspending pivot 138 continues to be displaced forwardly to continue the extension of the leg-rest relative to the seat 128.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position, and seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit, said seat control means including a carrier pivotally mounted on said support at a carrier pivot, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, and interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing an operative interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement such that said carrier turns about said carrier pivot and imparts a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement.

2. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said back-rest, and seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit, said seat control means including a carrier pivotally mounted on said support at a carrier pivot, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, and interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including coacting members movable relative to each other for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said co-acting members of said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing an operative interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement such that said carrier turns about said carrier pivot and imparts a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position, seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit, said seat control means including a carrier pivotally mounted on said support at a carrier pivot, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing an operative interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement such that said carrier turns about said carrier pivot and imparts a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement, a leg-rest control linkage operatively connected to said seat control means, and a leg-rest operatively connected to said leg-rest control linkage and elevated into a leg-supporting position in response to movement of said body-supporting unit through said first phase of chair movement into said resting position.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said backrest, seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit, said seat control means including a carrier pivotally mounted on said support at a carrier pivot, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including coacting members movable relative to each other for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said co-acting members of said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing an operative interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement such that said carrier turns about said carrier pivot and imparts a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement, a leg-rest control linkage operatively connected 10 to said seat control means, and a leg-rest operatively corinected to said leg-rest control linkage and elevated into a leg-supporting position in response to movement of said body-supporting unit through said first phase of chair movement into said resting position.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-sup porting unit including a seat and backrest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said back-rest, seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit, said seat control means including a carrier link disposed in a forwardly inclined starting position, means connected to the lower end of said carrier link and pivotally mounting said carrier link on said support for movement from said starting position through a rearwardly and upwardly directed arc, stop means engaging said carrier link in said sitting position of said bodysupporting unit for establishing said starting position and for blocking said carrier link against forward and downward movement out of said starting position, and interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including a guide member and a follower member engaged by said guide member for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said interengaging guide means serving as lost motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that carrier remains in said starting position and providing a pivotal interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement such that said carrier moves through said rearwardly and upwardly directed arc to impart a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement.

6. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said back-rest, seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit, said seat control means including a carrier link disposed in a forwardly inclined starting positon, means connected to the lower end of said carrier link and pivotally mounting said carrier link on said sup port for movement from said starting position through a rearwardly and upwardly directed arc, stop means engaging said carrier link in said sitting position of said body-supporting unit for establishing said starting postion and for blocking said carrier link against forward and downward movement out of said starting position, interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including a guide member and a follower member engaged by said guide member for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said interengaging guide means serving as lost motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that carrier remains in said starting position and providing a pivotal interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement such that said carrier moves through said rearwardly and upwardly directed arc to impart a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement, a leg-rest mounted beneath spszaaa l 1 said seat, and a leg-rest control linkage operatively connected to said seat control means and to said leg-rest for elevating said leg-rest into a leg-supporting position in response to movement of said body-supporting unit through said first phase of chair movement into said resting position.

7. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest mounted on said support at a back-rest pivot, a seat mounted on said back-rest at a seat pivot spaced above said backrest pivot, said back-rest and seat serving as a body-supporting means and being movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and being mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said back-rest and seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting means, said seat control means including a carrier movably mounted on said support, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting means for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, and interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including coacting members movable relative to each other providing a first seait guiding means for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said coacting members of said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing a pivotal interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement, said carrier providing a second seat guiding means for imparting a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement.

8. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest mounted on said support at a back-rest pivot, a seat mounted on said back-rest at a seat pivot spaced above said back-rest pivot, said back-rest and seat being movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and being mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said back-rest, and seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, said seat control means including a carrier pivotally mounted on said support, means engageable with said carrier in said sitting position for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, and interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including coacting members movable relative to each other providing a first seat guiding means for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said coacting members of said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing a pivotal interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement, said carrier providing a second seat guiding means for imparting a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement.

9. A declining chair comprising a support, a back-rest mounted on said support at a back-rest pivot, a seat mounted on said back-rest at a seat pivot spaced above said back-rest pivot, said back-rest and seat serving as a bodysupporting means and being movable relative to each other for inclining and reclining movement respectively and being mounted on said support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said back-rest, and seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said backrest in response to movement of said body-supporting means, said seat control means including a carrier movably mounted on said support, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting means for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, interengaging guide me as on said carrier and said seat includin coacting members movable relative to each other providing a first seat guiding means for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said coacting members of said interengaging guide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing a pivotal interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement, said carrier providing a second seat guiding means for imparting a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement, a leg-rest, means operatively connected to and mounting said leg-rest for movement to an elevated legsupporting position in response to said first phase of chair movement.

10. A reclining chair comprising a support, bodysupporting means including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively through a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into an intermediate resting position with substantially no relative displacement between said seat and back-rest and for further movement through a second phase from said resting position into a reclining position with relative displacement between said seat and said backrest, and seat control means for displacing said seat relative to said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting means, said seat control means including a carrier movably mounted on said support, means engageable with said carrier in the sitting position of said body-supporting means for establishing a substantially stationary position for said carrier, and interengaging guide means on said carrier and said seat including coacting members movable relative to each other providing a first seat guiding means for imparting a firs-t inclination to said seat during said first phase of chair movement, said coacting members of said interengaging gulide means providing a lost-motion interconnection between said seat and carrier during said first phase of chair movement such that said carrier remains in said stationary position and providing a pivotal interconnection between said carrier and said seat during said second phase of chair movement, said carrier providing a second seat guiding means for imparting a second inclination to said seat during said second phase of chair movement.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,473,895 Mednick June 21, 1949 2,615,497 Luckhardt Oct. 28, 1952 2,642,122 Maurer June 16, 1953 2,857,955 De Vries et a1. Oct 28, 1958 2,909,213 Winick Oct. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 691,437 Germany May 27, 1940 

